lowering first gen 4x4?

[Acid0atm3al]

ok, i have a 1st gen i picked up today for cheap, and i was wondering what would be involved in lowering a 4x4? i know everyone says you cannot lower any more then 2-3 inches, and even then you will have a VERY crappy ride, what is the issue there? i have no problem removing my front axles as i have never used 4x4 in my life and dont really have any use to....

i am wanting a 4 front 5 rear drop

 

[Doubt Incarnate]

the twin traction beam setup messes it up, when you lift a first gen you have to use a pivot drop bracket(s) to keep the wheel angle safe and normal. when you lower one, you have to go the other way with the bracket (up, there is a fram and motor in the way), and i just dont see how that works. you could swap in a solid front axel, live ar not that would probably help. i think a solid i beam would give you a lot of room to play with. lowereing a vehical always remove travel from the suspension, you only get a couple of inches befor it bottoms out.

 

[Spdrcer34]

Your axles more or less hold the front wheels on spindle.

Your BEST BET is to convert it to a 2WD.

I have a 5/6 drop....It handles GREAT.....but bottoms out alot.

I have a 4" C-notch in my frame. Anything more than a 3" drop will need Notch in the frame.

Ryan

 

[Acid0atm3al]

what all is needed to convert to 2 wheel drive? trans, driveshaft, front a arms (?) spindles, disks? calipers?

i know jack squat about 4wd...lol

 

[Doubt Incarnate]

you could red-neck it and just lose the fwd driveshaft and swap out the twin traction beams for the twin i-beams, you could pull these complete from a yard with everything you need from side to side. no a-arms thats why the camber gets screwed hardcore with suspension mods on the 91-94 models. keep the x-fer case and its low setting for whatever.

 

[Acid0atm3al]

hmmm.....would that require any modification? or direct bolt up?

 

[1993fordexploere]

direct bolt up. its the same thing just no front axles or pot. you just need to remove the front end and put the new i beams in. remove the front drive line while your at it

 

[Acid0atm3al]

only the i beams? or ibeams and hub assy.


thanks for you help guys!

 

[Doubt Incarnate]

youd want get the i-beams, with the ball joints, spindles, and breaks intact.

 

[lower4x4]

I have a 92 4x4 explorer droped 6 n 3, now that i drive it more ya the ride isnt nice, very bouncey very very bouncey, suprisingly it only pulls a lil bit not that bad thought it wld be worse. mine is my daily driver and i dnt like the ride but how good it looks and all the attention it draws makes up for it, i have been driving mine 4 a month n a week or two and knock on wood nothing has broken yet but its eating through tires like its nutthin. i dnt have any bump stops they r gone in the front and layin onem in the back. not a smart thing 4 an every day driver but again it makes up for it and i just deal with it. i also have old shocks so thats a little bit of the problem with the bounceyness.

 

[slammedxonair]

I have a 92 4x4 explorer droped 6 n 3, now that i drive it more ya the ride isnt nice, very bouncey very very bouncey, suprisingly it only pulls a lil bit not that bad thought it wld be worse. mine is my daily driver and i dnt like the ride but how good it looks and all the attention it draws makes up for it, i have been driving mine 4 a month n a week or two and knock on wood nothing has broken yet but its eating through tires like its nutthin. i dnt have any bump stops they r gone in the front and layin onem in the back. not a smart thing 4 an every day driver but again it makes up for it and i just deal with it. i also have old shocks so thats a little bit of the problem with the bounceyness.

thats just not safe at all. you at least need a bolt in c notch

 

[xxxplorer93]

Im new and i no its an old thread . I been searching and are congused. I want to lower my 93 4x4 explorer. Converting to 2wd is wat i want. But i read i need to swap crossmembers and some say just swap the twin beams for i beams plus the other parts but can anyone be siper specific that has actually done the swap. Im in penssylvania 2wd suvs are very hard to come by ive done s10 blazers to 2wd and thay was relativley easy. This is my first xplorer. Thanks for any help